Read: The Best Yoga Pose to Jumpstart Recovery

Here’s my first post for MindBodyGreen, on my favorite topics: recovery and legs up the wall!

The best athletes know that recovery requires just as much serious attention as the rest of their training. It’s during rest that we grow stronger, as the body super-compensates by adapting in response to the stresses applied in training. This is true for adaptations of all kinds—building strength and speed through sports training, working on strength and flexibility for yoga asana practice, even learning to memorize a script or maintaining focus for meditation. By paying as much attention to rest as you to do applying positive stress, you’ll maximize your likelihood of adapting in a useful, healthy way.